1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a lighting switch apparatus and lighting switching method and, more particularly, to a lighting switch apparatus and a lighting switching method, which simultaneously perform the sensing of a capacitive touch and the reception of visible light based on hand motion by using a lighting switch connected to a lighting control network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional technology related to lighting is configured using technology for receiving the input of a lighting switch connected to lighting control networks, transferring received information to a lighting control unit through the lighting control networks, and allowing the lighting control unit to control (e.g., turning-on, turning-off or brightness control) lighting devices.
Lighting switches are implemented in various types, such as a capacitive touch type, a rotary type, and a switch type.
Due to the development of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and LED lighting control technology, a user may make lighting control input in various manners at the present time. Among the lighting switches, a capacitive touch lighting switch senses a capacitive change depending on a change in the electric field of a touch sensing unit when a human hand touches the lighting switch, and utilizes sensed results for lighting control. In this case, a problem arises in that a human touch must be made and touch sensing cannot be performed out of a touch-sensitive range. Further, lighting control cannot be performed using hand motion out of the touch-sensitive range.
As related preceding technology, Korean Patent No. 1265650 (entitled “Lighting Apparatus and Method of Controlling the Lighting Apparatus Using Remote Controller”) discloses technology that can simply control lighting devices connected through a network by using a remote control, and can not only control power using the interface of the remote control, but also control color temperature or dimming either precisely or in stages.
As another related preceding technology, there is Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2008-0079269 (entitled “LED Lighting System, LED Lighting Control System, and LED Lighting Unit Control Method”). This patent discloses technology that can solve a conventional problem in which, as part of LED light is leaked, the leaked light is mixed with converted light to change color emitted from a phosphor conversion LED, and in which, as light leakage changes according to time and temperature, a change in output is caused.